New angled pedestal

[Mike Smith]

I installed a new Edson angled pedestal guard and instrument pod yesterday, replacing the old Edson two pod arrangement.  I mounted my new GPS on an instrument bracket below the new instrument pod.  I've had all this stuff for two years in my garage and just got around to installing it on Breezer.  The project is on hold while we go sailing, and I've got the wires hanging out of the pedestal but protected by four 1/2" nylon spacers on the lag bolts between the collar and the pedestal housing. It appears that I'll need to either drill some holes into the pedestal housing to accomodate the instrument wires or route them elsewhere.  Currently everything runs up through the pedestal - the instruments were wired individually (both power and sensor) by the PO.  I think I can eliminate a couple of wires since my instruments can be chained in series (depth, auto, knotmeter) via SeaTalk.  I would prefer to run them up through the pedestal guard tubing and into the new instrument pod but this would entail drilling through the cockpit floor where the tubing is secured.  Any suggestions or helpful tips before I break out the old Black and Decker?

Mike Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[rirvine]

Mike:

There are a few things you should be aware of:

A. Read the Raymarine manuals for the instruments that you have becasue they have information regarding how to connect the power via Seatalk.  I know these are not the greatest manuals but read together they give you the picture.
B. The important thing is that Seatalk should not be used to power the Autopilot â€" it must have separate power and ground.
C. If you are using standard Seatalk cables to connect your instruments together, you will have to cut the power wire (red) in Seatalk cables to the Autopilot.
D. As for running cable through the pedestal, go for it.  I would suggest that you run them through both sides to give you as much cable space as possible and make the "cable fishing" as easy as possible.
E. Also to make "cable fishing" easier, cut as large as possible holes in each side of the pedestal behind the instrument pod.  Use a liberal amount of sealant between the pod and the pedestal when you mount the pod â€" remember to put the pod on right way up.
F. Once you have all the cable in, use a liberal amount of sealant both under the fittings that screw to the floor and around the pedestal tubing where it goes into the fitting.  The latter stop water from running down the tubing and into the boat.
G. Before you button up everything, do a detailed test for leaks with the hose â€" both around where the instrument pod joints to the pedestal and where the pedestal in mounted to the floor.

Have fun!

T

[kmorton16@comcast.net]

With reference to Raymarine instruments, their Ask Questions page states that the red wire must not be cut to the autopilot.  The recomended procedure is to power the autopilot and wind instrument from two different circuit breakers and have them both on at the same time.
Also,the true wind will not be displayed unless speed information is provided.

Ken Morton  Trident - 1300

[Mike Smith]

Thanks for all the info - I should be saying "angled pedestal guard" vice "angled pedestal" which would make steering interesting!  In the installation instructions on the www.raymarine.com Web site, for the ST4000 (Ch. 6 Installation, p.51 Power supply connection) it states that "The control head requires its own dedicated power supply.  It cannot source power from SeaTalk, and must supply power to the rest of the SeaTalk system."  So, it looks like I'll have only one power connection to the auto/speed/depth instrument group, and can probably bleed power off for the GPS also.

Mike Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[rirvine]

Ken:

You are correct provided all the instruments and Autopilot are powered from the same main DC switch - they are either all "on" or all "off".  The problem comes about when the Autopilot is on a separate DC circuit with its own switch. In this case the Autopilot will then attempt to get its power through the Seatalk cables when its power is not turned on.

[Mike Smith]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday wrestling off the two teak veneer panels in the aft cabin so I can see where all the power and data cables run.  Gotta be an easier way!  I'll refinish them and shave off about 1/4" all around to facilitate installation and removal in the future.  Right now, I have the two (knotmeter/depthmeter) data cables and three (3!) separate power cables running up through the steering pedestal. I plan to pull them down and out (except one power cable for the compass light) and then run only one power cable up the port leg of the pedestal guard and the two data cables up the starboard leg.  The power cable will connect to the autopilot which will, in turn, the power the instruments.  My Garmin GPS will then also connect to the autopilot head. Here's a question:  since the ST4000 autopilot has display data pages for both speed and depth, can I just connect the data cables for each directly to the autopilot SeaTalk circuit and bypass the separate instrument displays altogether - that is, not install them on the Navpod and have the autopilot display only?

Mike Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[rirvine]

Mike:

If by "data cables", you mean the cables from the transducers, these must be connected to the corresponding instruments unless you have active (Seatalk based) transducers (ST-80).  The instruments convert the transducer signals and send the data out on the Seatalk cable for others to use and/or display it.  The Autopilot displays the data that it gets from the Seatalk bus.  The autopilot also can displays GPS related data that comes from the NEMA bus as well.

Ray

[Mike Smith]

Yep.  Should have known that - kind of like sticking a telephone plug in your ear and expecting to hear voices.

Mike Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[Mike Smith]

The pedestal guard, Navpod and GPS installation is complete!  Thanks for all the tips and advice.  I ended up running the power cable up the port pedestal guard leg to a terminal strip in the Navpod housing.  From there power goes to the autopilot head and the GPS. I ran the drive cable down the same port leg to a spot just opposite the autopilot drive motor then 90 degrees out to the motor, sealing the hole with a rubber gromet. I wanted to keep both of these 12VDC circuits in the same leg to avoid any possible interference with the instruments.  I ran the three data cables (depth, compass, and knotmeter) down the starboard leg.  Since I have my GPS mounted in the center of the pedestal guard just below the Navpod housing, I drilled a hole in the bottom of the Navpod housing and dropped the GPS power/data cable down to connect to the GPS. I measured the placement of the instruments 14 ways from Sunday before using 2" and 3.5" hole saws in a drill press to make the cuts for the instruments.  I connected all the wiring and buttoned everything up Saturday afternoon, planning to take Breezer out Sunday for re-calibration.  As Jan and I cast off from the dock, I shifted into forward and the gearshift handle made contact with the new pedestal guard!  No forward - just neutral and reverse. Nimble footwork and handy boathooks got us back to the dock where I removed the gearshift handle and used a pair of visegrips to check the gearshift motion.  It went into forward just fine so we cast off again using the visegrips as a gearshift handle.  I must have inadverdently adjusted the end fitting on the gearshift cable when I had the clevis pins out to remove the old instrument pod arrangement - either shortening it or lengthing it - I'll find out tonight.  The autopilot re-calibration went like a charm and the boat sails like a tea-totaler on the straight and narrow again.  What fun these toys are!

Mike Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[Mike Smith]

I need to adjust the transmission shift lever throw range by adjusting the shift cable connection at the transmission.  Currently the shift lever strikes the pedestal guard preventing me from shiftig into forward and I am now using a small pair of vice grips as a shift lever in the interim. Before I dive into the engine compartment, does anyone have advice on adjusting the connection at the transmission? I have a Perkins M30 engine with a Hurth 250 transmission. Thanks

Mike Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[JIM BRENER 1987 #504 "WI]

I don't know if your transmission is the same as mine but I followed the suggestion of a previous posting and reply and had an extension welded to the bracket that the transmission cable is attached.  This allowed me to move the attachment point aft and allowed the transmission to move into full reverse and forward without hitting the stock petestal.  I have tested this fix and I think have the adjustments correct by testing at the dock but have not done a full shakedown sail yet.  I hope to be off the dock this weekend and will report if the fix worked.  It cost $40.00 in shop time and material.

Jim Brener
Wind Spirit 1987  #504

[Mike Smith]

I just ran across this via a Google search on "Hurth Transmission Cable Adjustment".

http://www.catalina36.org/Article_transmission.htm

It is from the Catalina 36 Web page and discusses the problem I (and others) am having with the gearshift and throttle throw distance after installing the Edson angled pedestal in combination with the stainless steel gearshift/throttle levers.  The gearshift lever strikes the pedestal guard and will not allow shifting into forward.  The article(s) describe how to adjust the cable and gearshift on Hurth transmissions to prevent this from happening.

Mike and Jan Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com

[This message was edited by Mike & Jan Smith "Breezer"  '88 #688 on June 24, 2003 at 01:20 PM.]

[Buddy]

Mike,
I had the same problem when I replaced the old shift levers with the new stainless ones. The shift lever on the transmission can be adjusted without modification by loosening the bolt and moving the lever on the shaft. It only takes the slightest adjustment so go easy. It may take several tries but it worked; at least on my boat. (1988)

[Tom Glennon]

Mike:  Are the pods you replaced the edson models that house two onstruments each? If so, and are in good condition, I'd be interested in them.

I have the two pods, and the paint on them has become unsightly due to wear, /crazing.

Thanks,

Tom

[Mike Smith]

Sorry Tom -

Pods were sold to Andrew Harvey.  They held one instrument each.

Mike

Mike and Jan Smith
S/V Breezer
www.mikejansmith.com